Rye

Rye (Hebrew kussemeth) appears in several passages of the Old Testament, usually translated as "rye" or "fitches" in older versions and as "spelt" in most modern translations. Spelt (Triticum spelta) was an ancient hulled wheat cultivated throughout the ancient Near East, hardier and more resistant to poor conditions than common wheat. In Exodus 9:32, the plague of hail destroyed the barley and flax but not the wheat and spelt, because they were late-maturing crops. Isaiah 28:25 mentions spelt as one of the grains the skilled farmer sows in its proper place. Ezekiel 4:9 includes spelt among the mixed grains used to make bread during the symbolic siege of Jerusalem. Spelt was a staple grain of the ancient world, occupying a lower status than wheat in most contexts.